Which only prompts one to wonder whether these people really know whom exactly it is they’re defending.

However real and natural it might appear, “Duck Dynasty” is a sitcom. Not all the dialogue is written, but as even the Robertsons freely admitted on the “Today” show, “They come up with ideas and we just get to be ourselves in the situation.”

So while Robertson can be taken at his word that he’s a man of faith, the character that people know from TV is just that: A character.

Other websites, some with way too much time on their hands, have meticulously detailed the staging that goes into the show. But suffice it to say that the Robertsons have thrived in part because they and their producers have been adept at making themselves seem authentic. As one reality TV producer suggested when discussing the show, even if the situations are all phony, you couldn’t create those guys.

Still, the full-throated defense on behalf of the Robertsons primarily reflects two things: The very effective tactic of making Christians feel like they are disrespected and persecuted by the mainstream media; and most germane to this discussion, the sorry lack of media literacy in the U.S., where people might insist they’re in on the gag, but if they’re seeing something on TV, they tend to assume it’s true.

At this point, the “Duck Dynasty” story has taken on a life of its own, propelled by the political aspects of the standoff – pitting anti-gay-rights conservatives against “liberal Hollywood” – and the good (or bad) fortune of happening right before Christmas, when everyone’s starved for something to talk and write about.

Yet while many of those who watch “Duck Dynasty” no doubt feel like they know the Robertsons, these characters are shaped – through editing and writing – in virtually the same way “The Big Bang Theory” or “Modern Family” is. So the guy you see, as colorful as he is, isn’t necessarily the real-life version.

So what if not all real. Better to watch this as to a bunch of young people on different types of so called reality shows Getting drunk having sex and just acting like idiots. How embarrassing for their families! What people will do for a buck!

No shit Sherlock!!! Duh!! We fans of the show know this and the Robertsons are honest about it. They are all,with the exception of “Unca Si, college graduates. Si served his country,can you say the same? The children are respectful of their elders. They are not elitist punks thinking they can do or say anything with out consequences. They are a great American family that loves this country,unlike idiots such as Kanya West,who say they hate the country that made them. F U.

Most characters on TV are scripted and shaped. Do you think Lucille Ball was really that dingy? Give me a break. And the most fake of them all are “Reality” stars. Give it up. It is time the Christians won one. If you don’t want to watch. Don’t

I happen to know them personally and the show is exactly how they are in real life the only staging they do is calming them down so that they can get a shot other than that it’s them being themselves yes sometimes they get out of hand like not wanting to talk to the camera while they’re on a duck hurt and I don’t want to stop what they’re doing so the cameras can get a different angle

Yes it would have the world is targeting Christians right now what do you think there was a shooting at a college in the man specifically said stand up if you’re Christian and then said you get to meet God now and shot them that is why this column was written because he’s a Christian that is not going to keep his mouth shut he is preaching his beliefs in the word the way he is supposed too

Brain lowry you need to shut up about duck dynasty they are not hurting anyone and a lot of people can relate to them . people like you don’t have a life of their own so they start talking about someone else that might be the reason you are not popular .

Writing an article like you’re letting out a big secret that’s going to make everyone hate the Robertson men is ridiculous. Of course the guys on “Duck dynasty” didn’t always look like they do now. I don’t look like I did 10-15 years ago either. No one does. They’ve changed their looks to promote their products and appeal to the public on a tv program. Big Deal! No one cares and it’s working for them. The one thing that is real is their faith in God and their strength as a family. And by the way, Phil and Kay still live in the same house they’ve lived in for years. And the beards and hair are are real.

This is why when I was approached by Hollywood offering me a chance at my own reality TV SHOW after seeing my youtube presentations jerry W hulse trucker evangelist that I did not jump because I did not want to become a character in some body’s mind but the true Evangelist God called me to be.
READ MY LIPS
I MIGHT NOT HAVE ALWAYS MADE THE RIGHT DECISIONS AND I MIGHT DIE RICH I MIGHT DIE POOR BUT I KNOW MY GOD AND HAVE ALLOWED HIM TO LEAVE HIS SIGNATURE THROUGH ME TO MY GENERATION AND A LEGACY THAT WILL LIVE ON.
WHO KNOWS MAYBE SOME YOUNG KID WILL READ NY BOOK 18 WHEELS AND JESUS GET HIMSELF AN ORIGINAL INDIANA JONES HAT AND PICK UP WHERE I LEFT OFF.
JERRY
TRUCKER
GUARDIAN ANGEL

you know a lot of major life events families care about are heavily scripted… graduations, weddings, birthdays, anniversaries.. most things worth celebrating we put on a bit of a show for. people act differently at these kinds of events but they still represent themselves just fine.

obviously duck dynasty is more scripted than a security camera and less than wrestling. there’s no sensible reason to throw any concern on it, they’re just exaggerating their own character traits.

All reality shows I’ve seen have the appearance of being faked and scripted. “Reality” in itself is usually quite boring with rare exceptions of excitement, so a reality show in its true sense would never hold the viewership to keep it on the air.

It is just like the mainstream media telling you that the Kool Aid tastes so good and you became addicted to it. Even if they will tell you ten lies, you will still consider it as the “truth”. Aren’t you part of the mainstream media?

The dumbing down of America continues…the double standard sheeple will fall for anything….I wonder how Stuey, Peter Griffen and Quagmire feel about this controversy …Welcome to Mamby Pamby Land, Jackwagon’s !

You don’ know any of this to be fact,the real fact remains in this article is that you feel the need to be in on the action otherwise this would have been written a year ago! regardless of staging on the show or not and I belive all shows have to have some direction to it,IE the director!please try to prove Phil is not a christian,good luck. Phil told the truth according to God’s Word when he said men sleeping with men is a sin!

Brian Lowry, Are you intentionally dishonest, or are you so confused that you think the anger over A&E’s response to GLAAD’s religious bigotry is related to the characters on the show? In case you have lived your life in a cave, let me explain something to you. There are many TV and film stars in the world. They often give interviews. In these interviews, they are asked questions, and they respond as themselves, not as their character (unless they are trying to win the “eccentric as Marlon Brando” award, like Joaquin Phoenix).

LOLOLOL if you click on that link below you will see that someone has crossposted this article to a known conservative anger website, and now all the commenters are coming on over here to point out that YOU CAN TRUST TERRY BRADSHAW. You people defending him are being scammed hard, so so funny. :D

for ll of you who say… “it doesnt matter” are even dumber an you want to think! u have been led into believing its real.. its not… based on that false assumption… you are writing congressmen, ptitionoing TV stations and resteraunts… and its all A PUBLICITY PLOY!!! The Marketing of “American values” FOR PROFIT!!! you are suckers!! You might as well be spending our hard earned money on THE KARDASHIANS!!!

I predict the Duck dynasty will leave A&E after a financial settlement to end their contract with A&E is hammered out. The Robertson’s are very wealthy and can actually buy out their contract. They already have a hunting show on the Outdoor Channel, and they have the red states buying up DD stuff in a frenzy. The Robertson’s also are Church of Christ, God fearing believers, who really do sing gospel songs while hunting but we don’t see that stuff on the show. I do believe they will give up the show for religious, and family reasons. They have speaking engagements all through next year, and they are hardly home with their children. I do think they will quit the show and even though there will be a hit on their wealth, it will be made back by sales to Red State folks and their speaking engagements along with the Duck and Buck Commander business which will still sell DD merchandise as good or better than today. Conservatives will snap their stuff up in support of the Robertson’s. It will be win-win for the Robertson’s. No more Hollywood types telling them what to say and they can get back to their roots in the swamps of Louisiana in the friendly territory of the Bible belt, plus have more time with their families. All of the Robertson’s know that the show will not last forever even before Phil’s interview by GQ.

Whoever thinks we ordinary folks are stupid enough to believe anything that comes out of Hollywood to be the truth, is themselves stupid!
WE know the difference, and one nice thing about the Robertsons is that they already had a lot of money before they became Reality Show “Stars!” Of course, the dialogue is written, of course, most of the situations are created, that is the way it is done–mainly because we ordinary people have mundane, ordinary lives, and the Robertsons are no different, other than their bank accounts!
I think Brian is jealous.

I knew the family was prejudice when
They aired the first show .Hill billies never think they are wrong about anything.
First. Only god knows who will enter the kingdom of heaven . You can quote the bible all day long, but only god knows who you are

I really don’t understand the point of this piece. Most of the “news” in Variety is simply staged PR posing as news. In fact, most of everything you see in print and on television is completely scripted and crafted. Should we just stop reading and watching all of it?

“They come up with ideas and we just get to be ourselves in the situation.” Then, you say these “characters are shaped – through editing and writing – in virtually the same way “The Big Bang Theory” or “Modern Family”. So, which is it, genius?

Editorial Writers: Ah, guess what? Nothing you have written here has anything to do with the situation with A&E(idiot!!!). Phil Robertson is who he is and he believes what he believes and has every right to say what he believes and if A&E wants to cut their own throats by pandering to the gay groups(a relative minority in this country still), let’em. They are the losers, not Phil Robertson or God or Jesus or Christianity! Phil Robertson is a very loving and caring and generous man, probably more so than any of the A&E execs that made this tragic decision.

Ok, listen up you Rubes, Hayseeds, Bible thumping boobs, and all you Not-In-On-It-People;
the good folks at VARIETY; that rag that prints five thousand word paens to the industry where people are paid to counterfeit emotions, events, real peple and all manner of fantasies; have descended from their Pierian heights and condenscended to address the Great Unworthy Ones; you and me; on what is real and what isn’t.
The Three Stooges are dead so this might be your best chance for a good laugh in a while.

As we’ve learned from the backlash against Phil Robertson’s GQ interview, throughout which an A&E exec was entirely present, A&E doesn’t script everything. They’re called “production notes” and even the great unwashed masses in flyover land have heard of them.

So what else is new? If not “shaped” the show would be as boring as you are! So let me get this straight: you are suggesting that if not “shaped” by this show’s producers, ole Phil Robertson wouldn’t have any defenders because if not for the A&E patina would people care listen to him? That about it?

Well, A&E patina notwithstanding, I kind of agree with Phil’s take on homosexuality. I don’t agree with GLADD or the loud minority of intolerant heterophobes in the Artsy Fartsy communities.

Oh no. I should have Neptune my mouth shut. No GLADD will scream to cancel my “shaped” reality show

I have watched this program from the very beginning. It is like watching grass grow, then someone says or does something that elicits a chuckle. And you always feel like the family is in on the joke and in fact turns the tables on the PC crowd. What I object to is directors, writers, and actors on local, network, and cable TV who have utter disdain for my values. I just change the channel. But groups like GLAAD want to keep me from watching the content they don’t like.

In other words, “don’t believe your lying eyes and ears…the crude and ignorant stereotype that A&E originally attempted to pass off of the Robertsons (and by extension middle america (or as you might know it “fly-over country”)), and the most of the media establishment (including Variety) propagates is more accurate than reality”. This whole piece reads like a bad case of projection; attempting to enforce Leftist groupthink (and the narratives that make it up) and lash out at the “others” who are strongly offended and disagree with those narratives.